We are fortunate to have a tight-knit resident community, one of the highlights of our residency. Our resident social committee organizes events for the entire residency three to four times a year. Prior events include bowling, boating, holiday parties, driving at the golf range, and karaoke.
We also have annual radiology department holiday parties, a welcome party for new PGY-2 residents, happy hours at the end of every rotation block, and annual class dinners with the program directors.
A highlight of the year is our annual resident retreat, which traditionally takes place on a Thursday in February. All residents are given the day off and take a bus together down to Crystal Mountain for a day of skiing, snowshoeing, or simply hanging out and playing board games in the lodge. Program directors can also be spotted on the slopes.
Our program considers resident wellness from multiple angles, with systems built in to ensure residents feel empowered and supported. Upon entering the residency, PGY-2 residents are matched with a faculty mentor and a more senior big sibling resident, both of whom check in regularly throughout the year. Each class elects social chairs, who have a dedicated budget for activities that bring residents together outside the workday. We highly value the happiness and well-being of our residents.
Support Built into the Schedule
PGY-2 residents are call-free for the entire year. Residents may schedule routine medical, dental, and mental-health appointments during protected time without using vacation days, and free and confidential counseling is available through the UW Graduate Medical Education Wellness Service, which offers individual and couples sessions for residents and their partners, referrals for visits with a community psychiatrist and a learning specialist, no limit on the number of visits, and no billing or medical record.
Under our collective bargaining agreement, residents receive 28 days of paid vacation at the start of each appointment year (20 weekdays and 8 weekend days), 17 days of paid sick time off that carries over between training years, one personal holiday per calendar year, and up to 10 days of paid professional leave per academic year.
Parental leave of up to four months is available following the birth of a child or a placement through adoption or foster care and may extend to six months within the first year; the University maintains insurance benefits throughout.
Residency is demanding, and we do not pretend otherwise. What we can promise is that these supports are real and used, and that the people around you want you to finish these four years well, not just trained.